The social networking website Facebook has reportedly blocked its users from entering the name “Gay” as a surname when registering for the popular site (at least in Australia), the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
“It's been revealed that the popular website – which boasts it has more than 30 million members from around the world – does not allow people with the common Anglo Saxon surname Gay to join, assuming it is not a legitimate name. After a story in New Zealand's Dominion Post about 30-year-old Rowena Gay, who was denied entry to site because of her last name, smh.com.au undertook a test and found a person with the last name Gay was indeed not allowed to join. ‘Please enter a legitimate name,' the website stated during our attempt. And while the website refused Gay, it had no problem allowing us to join with the last name Hitler.”
The paper talked with Australian lawmaker Duncan Gay about the issue: “That's a bit tough, it's pretty ordinary … it bothers me to the extent that quite often when you give your name you get a twitter. People looking and smirking. This is a continuation of that. While it wasn't tough for me, particularly for my son going through school, with the name … if they're removing Gay from [Facebook] it becomes a problem for my family. I'm not ruling out protesting vigorously about this.”
Pictured, American sprinter Tyson Gay, who may also have a problem with it.
Facebook blocks Gay surname [sydney morning herald]
Gay? Facebook Says No. [same same]
